Harness clip with safety lock



March 11, 1947. I MOREHQUSE 2,417,261

HARNESS CLIP WITH SAFETY LOCK Filed June 2,- 1944 Patented Mar. 11,1947

HARNESS CLIP WITH SAFETY LOCK Eugene M. Morehouse, Tujunga, Calif., assignor to Adel Precision Products Corp., a corporation of California Application June 2, 1944, Serial No. 538,468

4 Claims.

This invention relates to clips for supporting wires or conduits, as in aircraft and the like where the various electrical conductor and conduit lines are subjected to constant vibration and are therefore fastened at closely spaced intervals by means of such clips to structural parts past or adjacent which such lines are extended, in order to protect the lines against wear, damage and derangement and securely hold them in the desired positions.

More particularly this invention relates to the snap-lock type of clips in which a normally open wire or conduit-embracing loop is automatically locked in clamped position around the wires or conduit by forcing the ends of the loop together to interlock cooperating latch or look elements provided at said ends.

The primary object of the present invention is to provide a clip of this type which has a novel form of lock means embodying a safety arrangement to prevent accidental release of the lock means and consequent opening of the clip.

Another object of my invention is to provide in a clip of the character described a novel form of attaching ear for securing the clip to a support, by means of which, upon the application of a fastener, the loop is constructed and tightly clamped around the wires or conduit, and the lock elements are brought into tighter and more effective interlocking relation.

A further object of my invention is to provide a clip of the character described in which a spring metal strap is bent to form an open loop having cooperating fastening elements on the free ends thereof adapted to interlock so that a portion of one end underlies and contacts the other end while another portion of said one end overlies and is hooked to said other end whereby the end are positively interlocked against accidental release, but may be easily unlocked upon manipulating one end in a particular manner.

Another object of my invention is to provide a clip such as described in which a cushion strip for protecting the object held in the clip cooperates with the locking means to assure a reliable action thereof as well as an effective clamping of the clip around the supported object.

With the foregoing objects in view, together with such other objects and advantages as may subsequently appear, the invention resides in the parts and in the combination, construction and arrangement of parts hereinafter described and claimed, and illustrated by way of example in the accompanying drawing, in which:

Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a clip embodying my invention;

Fig. 2 is a vertical sectional view of the clip shown in Fig. 1;

Fig. 3 is a vertical sectional view of the clip as it would appear when looked around a group of wires preliminary to the mounting of the clip on a support;

Fig. 4 is an enlarged fragmentary sectional view of the clip as it would appear when installed;

Fig. 5 is a perspective view of a modified form of'the clip;

Fig. 6 is a part side elevation, part sectional view of the clip shown in Fig. 5 as when provided with a cushion;

Fig. 7 is a side elevation partly in section of the clip shown in Fig. 6 as it would appear when installed;

Fig. 8 is an enlarged sectional view taken on the line 8-8 of Fig. 7.

Referring to the drawing more specifically, it will be apparent that a clip embodying my invention may be made of a spring metal strap bent to form a loop or band 9 for embracing wires ID or a conduit, not shown, and adapted to be secured to a support H by means of a bolt 12 and nut 13 as shown in Fig. 4.

As shown in Figs. 1 and 2 the loop 9 is normally open so that its free ends 44 and I5 are spaced apart and adapted to be brought into overlapped and locked relation to one another to close the loop and clamp it around the wires or conduit as shown in Fig. 3.

At a point intermediate its end but nearer to thte end M, the strap is bent outwardly from the loop in the form of a doubled attaching ear l6 of substantially an inverted v-shape with its opposed legs I! provided with aligned openings 18 for reception of the bolt 12. It should be noted that the outer leg I! and the contiguousportion of the loop are fiat and substantially straight so as to effectively seat against the support H as shown in Fig. 4.

As shown in Figs. 1 to 4 inclusive the end [4 is bent outward and back on itself to form a hook fastening element I9 adapted to interlock with a tongue-like hook fastening element 26 at the end 15 as shown in Fig. 3. The hook-2t is struck out from the loop like a tongue at a point spaced inwardly of the end i5 and except where joined to the loop, lies in outwardly spaced relation to the end IS with its bill turned inwardly. Therefore when the hooks i9 and 2B,

hook 20 are subject to ready fiexure so that on bringing the ends of the loops together, the hook l9 on the end l4 will extend between the end I5 and the overlying hook 2B, and on slightly 3 depressing the latter, the two hooks will interlock with a snap action.

To unhook the ends it and is they are relatively sliclably moved while in straddled relation, or the end I5 is moved so as to slide inwardly in an arcuate path while straddling the end I l, to move the hook 20 away from hook l9 whereupon the hook 253 will spring outwardly, free of the hook is, it being sometimes necessary to slightly depress the end is to disengage the hooks.

Upon tightening the screw or bolt l2 the legs ll of the ear [6 are forced together as indicatedin Fig. 4, thereby constricting and tightening the loop 9 around the wires and causing the hooks.

l2 and 23 to be tightly interlocked andplaced under tension to assure ;a secure locking of the ends of the loop together.

Instead of providing the hook l9 on theend I 4 of the loop, I may, as shown in Figs, 5 to 8 inclusive, make a slit or opening 2i therein for reception of the hook 20, the action in this case being the same as in the form of clip shown in Figs. 1 to 4, the end M merely having a difierent form of hook or shoulder means to cooperate with the hook 20.

I may use a cushion strip 22 of rubber or the like as a lining for the loop 9 as shown in Figs. 6, '7 and 8, said cushion having rebent flanges 23 to hold it in place and being provided with tubular cushioning ribs 25 to increase the cushioning action. This cushion is applicable to the form of the clip shown in Figs. 1 to 4 and will fit thereon in the same manner as shown in Figs. 6, 7, and 8. When the cushion is used, the rebent flanges 23 may be brought to directly abut the inner surface of the end H3, or the end it may be inserted under the flanges to lie against end l5 as shown in Figs. '7 and 8, it being noted that the hook i9 is of such width as to extend between the flanges, to permit of the insertion of the end 14 under the flanges. The opening 2! as shown in Figs. 5 to 8 is also accessible for hooking the hook 20 therein when the end I4 is inserted under as well as positioned over the flanges 23. In the latter case, whether the hook l9 or opening 2| is used, the cushion flanges 23 will exert a force urging the hooks into a close and tight interlocked relation.

It is now seen that the hook formation on the end [5 is so arranged that it straddles end It so that one portion or area of leg l5 lies against the underside of the end M to prevent an outward movement of end i5 as well as inward movement of end 14, while another portion of end to confined to a different area of the applied clip lies against the outer side of end M to. prevent inward movement of end [5 and outward movement of end Hi, and end I5 is hooked to end M, thereby assuring the locking of the clip in the desired clamping and encircling position on the wires or the conduit, regardless of the vibratory and other forces to which the wires or conduit are subjected and which would tend toopen a clip not equipped with the locking means of this invention.

While I have shown and described specific embodiments of my invention I do not limit myself to the exact details of construction set forth, and the invention embraces such changes, modifications and equivalents of the parts and their formation and arrangement as come within the purview of the appended claims.

I claim:

1. In a clip for supporting wires or a conduit, a metal strap bent into an open loop having normally spaced apart ends adapted to be brought together to clamp the loop around wires or a conduit, and means for locking said ends to one another upon forcing the ends together including portions of one end arranged to straddle the other end and having portions abutting each other in a flatwise face-to-face manner to prevent such relative movement of the ends inwardly and outwardly of the loop as would unlock them, one of said abutting portions terminating in a locking hook.

2. In a clip for supporting wires or a conduit, a metal strap bent into an open loop having normally spaced apart ends adapted to be brought together to clamp the loop around wires-or a conduit, a tongue-like hook struck out from the metal forming the loop at a point spaced inwardly from one end of the loop with the bill of the hook facing inwardly toward the loop, said one end of the loop having an extension distinct from said hook positioned to lieunder the other end of the loop when said hook is hooked to said other end, and means on said other end afiording the hooking of the hook around a shoulder portion of the other end to lock said ends together.

3. In a clip for supporting wires or a conduit, 7

a metal strap bent into an open loop having normally spaced apart ends adapted to be brought together to clamp the loop around wires or a con-,

4. In a clip for supporting wires or a conduit, I a metal strap bent into an open loop having normally spaced apart ends adapted to be brought together to clamp the loop around wires or a conduit, a tongue-like hook struck out from the metal forming the loop at a point spaced inwardly from one end of the loop with the bill of the ,hookfaoing inwardly toward the loop, a portion of said one end of the loop being inwardly offset from said hook to lie underthe other end of theloop when said hook is hooked to said other end, and a hook formed on said other end adapted to be hooked to said tongueelike hook to hold ,said ends together.

EUGENE M. MOREHOUSE.

REFERENCES CITED The following references are of record in the file of this patent:

UNITED STATES PATENTS Number Name Date 1,246,325 Rohmer Nov. 13, 1917 2,340,713 Tinnerman Feb. 1, 1944 2,338,659 ,Morehouse Jan. 4, 1944! 310,004 Tabler Jan. 16, 1906! 1,284,325 Hart Nov. 12, 1918;. 2,352,856 Morehouse July 4, 1944- 441,428 Mahin '1 lo v. 25, 1890 

